Abstract
To date, it is mandatory for ecofriendly pest-management tools to be used in agriculture. Whey is a dairy-processing waste, a plant and soil chemical and fungicidal basic substance. The beneficial effect of whey on soil microorganisms, enzymatic activities, and free-living nematodes—combined with its toxic activity on the plant parasites—forms root knot nematodes. In this study, this finding is reported for the first time. A drip-irrigating tomato plant combined with whey in water at 3.125% (v/w) and 6.25% (v/w) dose dependently promoted Gram+ and Gram− bacteria, actinomycetes, and fungi biomass. Respectively, whey treatment and duration augmented the bacterial feeding nematodes along with the soil enzymatic activities, e.g., alkaline phosphatase, dehydrogenase, and urease. The counterpart for these soil organisms’ and enzymes’ functionality is the decomposition of organic matter, nutrient mineralization and cycling. Additionally, whey applied at 6.25% (v/w) every 10 days in a field experiment exhibited an efficacy of 70% on root knot nematodes. It is calculated that the EC50/3d value paralyzes in vitro Meloidogyne javanica, which was 3.2% (v/v). Conclusively, the soil application of whey could be a sustainable and ecofriendly method to combat the root knot nematodes and additionally to enhance soil biotic components.
Highlights
Whey forms as the result of liquid residue in cheese production, followed by milk curdle and strain
Considering the use of whey as bionematicide, we evaluated its action as a paralysis agent against M. javanica J2
Our study showed that whey has multiple effects for soil biotic components, acting as both a foodweb enhancer and a nematicide affecting negatively the agricultural pest M. javanica
Summary
Whey forms as the result of liquid residue in cheese production, followed by milk curdle and strain. Dairy processing may produce 10 liters of whey per liter of processed milk, depending on the end product [1]. Many studies have focused on the direct effect of whey on plant growth, wherein researchers examined the effect of its application on several parameters regarding plant productivity and soil chemical properties. These studies concluded that whey can be used as a plant booster [2,3]. Even though these studies have focused on soil properties and plant growth, the effects of whey on various soil communities and free-living nematodes are yet to be investigated. Soil organisms such as bacteria, fungi, and nematodes are the main counterparts of significant soil processes like
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